KSC STUDY SHOWS RISING CO2 LEVELS MAY SPUR GLOBAL PLANT GROWTH

A life sciences study at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. is showing that
rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere, partially caused
by the burning of fossil fuels, could spur plant growth globally as it has
to local scrub oaks at KSC.

Higher levels of CO2 also could change the survival odds of certain
plants, insects and animals, and thus the balance of those species in
various ecosystems across the world.

While the changes might not be so dramatic as to create a
primitive-forest type environment within the next millennium, the
environmental effects could be significant.

The CO2 study is a collaborative research project of NASA and the
Smithsonian Institution with support from the Department of Energy and
participation from a variety of other government agencies and
universities.

"Levels of carbon dioxide continue to rise in our environment, so
it's important for us to understand the effects," said Dr. Bert Drake, the
Smithsonian's principal investigator on the project. "We still have a lot
to learn, but now at least we have a rich data set."

Researchers have learned through the study that although scrub oaks
grow faster in a CO2-rich environment, their leaves are less nutrient
rich. That means insects that feed upon the leaves spend more time
feeding, have more exposure to predators and thus higher death rates.
Also, certain scrub oak species do better than others in the enriched CO2
environment.

"All the small changes created by CO2 add up and could cause major
changes it's impossible to imagine," Drake said. "By studying the reaction
of a natural ecosystem to high CO2 levels we will have a better idea of
what we may be facing in years to come."

Scientists and students continue to collect data from the CO2 test
site, which is about a half mile north of KSC's Vehicle Assemble Building
(VAB). The site is a natural scrub oak area where 12-foot diameter areas
of scrub oak have been enclosed in 16 open-top test chambers. CO2 is blown
into the test chambers to study its effect on the growth of scrub oak and
the insects and other creatures that feed on and around the scrub oak.

Five scientists from NASA and the Smithsonian Environmental Research
Center in Edgewater, Md., work at the site to monitor experiments and keep
the site running. In addition, about 15 scientists and students from the
University of Northern Arizona, Old Dominion University, The University of
Illinois in Champaign, and the Desert Research Institute participate in
studies at the site.

The scientists hope to continue the study another five to 10 years to
determine long-term effects of high levels of CO2 on a natural ecosystem.